IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Trigger Ban Introduced in Ohio House

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Contact: Aileen Day [email protected] | 614-313-2057

Trigger Ban Introduced in Ohio House

Columbus, Ohio – Yesterday, State Representative John Becker introduced House Bill 538, which would ban all abortions if the United States Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade.

This “trigger ban” would instantly block abortion access if any state is able to reach a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe vs. Wade. This ban makes it a felony for doctors to administer abortion drugs and to perform surgical abortions. If passed and enacted, this fear tactic will lead to massive amounts of misinformation.

Statement from Lauren Blauvelt-Copelin, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Advocacy of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio:

“Anti-Abortion extremists are at it again. House Bill 538 is the tenth ban introduced in the last year, proving leaders in the Ohio General Assembly are only focused on eliminating legal access to abortion and neglecting everything else. Ohioans deserve better. Ohioans deserve lawmakers who are focused on making their lives better, including expanding access to health care.”

Bans like these are not about protecting anyone, but chipping away access. Abortion bans are never going to end abortion. These bans will end the ability for people to access safe, legal abortion. HB 538 would disproportionately impact young people, people of color, people with low-incomes, people in rural communities, and the LGBTQ+ community’s ability to access safe, legal abortion.

We cannot accept a world where safe, legal reproductive health care access depends on your zip code. It is unconstitutional to ban abortion. The Supreme Court has repeatedly reaffirmed this conclusion, including Planned Parenthood vs. Casey in 1992 and Whole Woman’s Health vs. Hellerstedt in 2016.

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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio supports advocacy for reproductive health and reproductive rights, including grassroots organizing, community education, and lobbying. www.ppao.org